Monday night I was lucky enough to be invited to dinner with Swisse at Print Hall followed by the Oprah show. It goes without saying she is an extremely inspiring woman, so here are some of the highlights I resonated with.

1. Keep a gratitude journal. Oprah has been doing this for years. At the end of everyday she lists 5 things she is grateful for that day. It helps you to focus on the people, family, events and friends that are important to you and detracts from silly things like not getting enough likes on an instagram post.

2. Be responsible for your own energy. You and only you are responsible for the energy you bring into a room. Apparently Oprah has this on her dressing room door to keep it a stress free zone. People bounce off of each other so try to give off some positive energy.

3. Not everyone can be famous, but everyone can make a difference in this world. We all have our strengths that have an impact in someway. Our mark is left on those that remember our kindness and strength.

4. Be the best of yourself. Someone interviewed Oprah 10 or so years ago and again recently. The interviewer commented “you are exactly the same, but somehow more of yourself.” Aim to grow and learn to be the best of who you are, don’t try to imitate others.

5. Before you do something consider your intent. What is your intention? Why are you saying yes to an event or committing to a meeting. Figure out your intent and stay true to yourself.

Finally, Oprah left us with a thought that I think could help improve many relationships. She said that no matter who she interviewed, whether it be Queen B or Barack Obama, they all asked at the end of the interview “was that okay?” She realised that a lot of people are looking for validation. So next time your partner has cooked for you, or you are speaking with a friend of family member, be sure to validate them for their efforts. After all, it’s always nice to give a compliment. Remember what you put into the universe, is already done to you.

Thank you Swisse for the amazing experience and Rayne for teaching me snapchat!